Follow Through
by sanctuary-in-dreams
Summary: Written for Leigh's "Beat the Cliche" challenge at the DG Forum. Teachers should not be attractive--especially when someone is supposed to loathe them. Ginny confronts the aforementioned teacher and solves the issue with a unanimous decision.


**Here's my entry for Leigh's challenge at the lovely DG Forum. The rules in the Writing Challenges thread, so if you want to know what they were in detail, hop on over there and take a peek. And hey, stick around! I guarantee you'll like it.**

_**Aerileigh's "Beat-the-Cliché" Challenge I**_

_**1. The story must feature **__**Draco and Ginny**__** as the prominent pairing.**_

_**2. The story must have a **__**minimum length of 1,500 words**__**.**_

_**Prompt: The story must contain a following line of dialog: "**__**The house always wins**__**," OR "**__**The house always wins, [Draco/Ginny]**__**," and it must be spoken by one of the two.**_

_**Due: Midnight of 14 Nov, Forum Time**_

**Thanks to Sarah for betaing at the last minute. I really appreciate it! And thanks also to rowan's super hot dream that inspired me to write this.**

**  
Read on!**

**--**

"He thinks because he's _so_ brilliant, and _so _hot, he just owns the classroom, the nasty git," I muttered to myself, twirling my wand in my hand in agitation. I glared at Malfoy (or _Professor_ Malfoy, as he'd taken to be called) from the back of the room, trying to focus on what he was saying rather than the way the muscles in his forearm rippled with his every movement.

I hated Draco Malfoy for being an insufferable git, for taking the job as assistant DADA Professor, and especially for being so damn distracting. Granted, I wasn't the only girl staring at his ass when he'd turned around to write something on the chalk board, but I was expected to have more self-restraint, as I was a Weasley and he was a Malfoy; apparently, our family rivalry expected us to not take note of one's gorgeousness.

"Get into groups and practice the spells," Snape called from his desk, his nasally, dry voice cutting through the low chatter of my classmates. He glared at us above his hooked nose and waved his wand. The chairs and tables were pushed aside, giving the class a large space to practice our given assignment.

Due to my blanking out, I wandered around the classroom, hoping someone would clue me in as to what I was supposed to be doing.

Finally, Luna pulled me over to her, and hissed in my ear, "We're practicing _Aresto__ Momentum_ and _Carpe Retractum_."

I nodded, not for the first time mentally thanking Luna for already having a sexy Slytherin of her own; _she_ was able to keep paying attention in class, (which I couldn't say for the rest of us). I walked a couple feet away from Luna and readied my wand.

"If you need me, and it would be my greatest hope that you don't, I'll be in my office," I heard Snape say before stalking to his office, his black caps whipping behind him.

"Begin," Malfoy called, bringing our attention back to him. His call spurred the class to begin the exercise; spells were cast upon partners, and bodies hit the floor, or were yanked to all sides of the rooms. I inclined my head at Luna to indicate that she could go first.

Luna gave me a slight smirk that hinted of confidence, a trait she'd picked up from being with Blaise no doubt, and twitched her wand in my direction. "_Carpe Retractum_," she murmured, her dreamy voice floating over to me.

A strange sensation built in my body, as ropes squirmed from the tip of Luna's wand, and was sent to my waist, curling around it before yanking me off my feet. I rushed towards Luna in a way that made my head hurt.

"_Aresto Momentum!_" She cried soon after she'd cast the first spell. My body's original feelings of rapid movement and the feeling of floating on a cloud were morphed into a sluggish motion, as if my innards were floating in some kind of jelly-like liquid.

I was aware that I was moving ever so slowly towards Luna, who had a triumphant smirk on her face, and I grinned at her to show my approval, though my grin took a moment to fully appear.

Luna released the spell on me and I dropped to my feet, shaking my head as my body rid itself of the different feelings that still lingered within me.

"Nice job, Lovegood," Malfoy said as he passed by. He looked at me with raised eyebrow, as if daring me to try and do as well as his –now- star student.

I sniffed at him, and trained my wand on Luna. No way was I going to let the arrogant git think of me as incompetent. "_Carpe Retractum_!" My overzealous need to rub in Malfoy's face just how good I was, reflected in my spell casting—a second later, I felt Luna's body slam into mine, knocking me over.

Laughter erupted from my classmates, some people on their knees and guffawing with tears in their eyes. I growled at them, mumbling curses under my breath as I helped Luna off me.

"Well, the house* always wins, Ginny," Draco sneered down at me. I flushed at his innuendo to the position Luna and I were in.

Luna tossed her head back and said with a bite to her usually dreamy voice, "You know, Professor, the Grungling Golumpers dominate their mates using that position, and are able to produce the finest gold Goblins have ever seen as an offspring of the mating."

Silence echoed in the classroom; the wide eyes of my classmates were on Malfoy, who was looking down at Luna with an indescribable expression on his face. I glanced at Luna with a thankful look, and she nodded at me.

"Well, Miss Lovegood, while your talk of mythical creatures is interesting, to say the least, it's inappropriate in this class. Five points from Ravenclaw." Snape's languid voice once again rang through the class. How Snape was able to hear everything that was going on amazed me. The Ravenclaws in the room groaned and shot looks of annoyance to an oblivious Luna.

Malfoy, seeing that he'd regained the upper hand, clapped his hands. "This isn't a show, people. Get back to work."

Talking amongst themselves, the crowd dispersed, going back to their work as their professor had told them to.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" I said to Luna, glad that the flush left my cheeks.

"Try not to let the Oufgper Mites affect you so much this time Ginny. I did rather enjoy the experience, but I don't think class is the best time to be experience the wonders of the spell." Luna replied.

I stuck out my tongue at her and held up my wand again. "_Carpe Retractum_," I said. Again, Luna's body rushed to me, but before she could plow into me, I cried, "_Aresto Momentum_!"

Luna's body nearly froze, as if it had run into a vat of honey and slowly floated towards me. With a triumphant smile, I waved my wand to rid Luna of the spell's effects.

"Nicely done, Weasley," Malfoy said. I jumped, turning around.

Malfoy's smirk widened when he'd noticed my shock, but before I could say anything, he'd walked off to another pair.

"Alright, class!" Malfoy called from the front of the classroom. The last of the spells were cast, and then there was silence as we all turned our attention to the gorgeous assistant Professor. "You all seem to have the hang of it, despite some mishaps." Malfoy glanced at me, and snickers crackled among the class. An angry flush warmed my cheeks, but I met Malfoy's eyes determinedly.

"Anyway," Malfoy continued, "I think you have done well enough to practice on me." Excited whispers swept through the students before Malfoy raised his hand to silence us. "Line up, then," he called.

Girls pushed each other to try to get to the front of the line, a struggle that ended when Snape told them if they kept fighting, they wouldn't be able to participate in the exercise, and that meant an automatic fail in today's class. Amazingly, the girls were immediately composed after that statement.

"Weasley, come here," Malfoy called. I frowned, but moved to the front of the line regardless, wondering what he wanted with me. _I don't _think_ I've done anything wrong_, I thought to myself, puzzled.

When I'd moved to the front of the classroom with Malfoy, he ignored me—no surprise there—and turned to the class. "Miss Weasley has volunteered to give us an example of what I want you to do."

I flashed him a look—I certainly didn't remember asking to volunteer for _anything_. But when Malfoy looked back at me, I knew that I was being forced to do it, and I had absolutely no say in the matter.

Finally, the blond fully turned to me, his grey eyes entrancing me quite unfairly. I blinked when his lips started moving, and realized that he was telling me what to do.

"I want you to use _Carpe Retractum_ and then _Aresto Momentum_." He paused before continuing with a sneer, "And I would prefer not to crash into you, if you can handle that."

I scowled at the man and replied scathingly, "I'm sure I can manage that, _sir_."

Malfoy stepped away from me, and stood with his arms crossed around his broad chest and a bored expression on his face.

"Whenever you are ready, Weasley," he drawled.

My scowl deepened, but I lifted my wand all the same. "_Carpe Retractum_," I called. The rope jumped out of my wand and rushed toward Malfoy, wrapping itself around his waist and pulling him to me. As his body rushed towards mine, a small image of Malfoy landing on top of me in a position not unlike the one Luna and I had executed made me hesitate—but I continued with the motion and said, "_Aresto Momentum_." Malfoy's body slowed, but when I met his eyes, I saw they were very much alive, flashing with some unknown emotion.

His body drifted closer and closer to mine until his chest was bumping into mine—but still, I was under his hypnotizing look. It wasn't until a cold hand gripped mine that I realized the spell's effects were still influencing him. He waved my hand, which was still clutched in his, and the wand moved with it. The spell was broken, but Malfoy still continued to look down at me, his face stoic, but his eyes flashing like a Bluebell flame.

"Nicely executed, Weasley," he murmured. I nodded, distracted by his full lips, and pulled away from him. He is an ass, I scolded myself. Weasleys do not _flirt_ with asses. Granted, what'd just happened couldn't possibly be categorized as 'flirting', but it was something—something that I did not approve of.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Luna asked. "You kind of blanked out halfway through the exercise."

I turned to Luna. I could tell her anything. Right? She wouldn't judge me for liking Draco Malfoy, the git whose family made my family's life hell. She _was_ dating a Slytherin, after all.

The truth was squirming at the tip of my tongue, but when I glanced at Malfoy and saw his piercing stare, I knew that I had to keep it to myself—for my sake, as well as his. I shook my head, and said, "I was just utterly distracted by his beauty. No git like that should be rewarded with such good looks."

--

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked quietly.

Draco stood straight and looked at me with a blank face. "Excuse me?" he asked with polite detachment.

I took a step closer so that I was in front of his desk and put my hands on it, leaning over so that I was looking straight at him.

"Why do you constantly egg me on, and then snuff it out with some romantic bollocks?" I glared at him. "I can not, and will not, take anymore."

Draco glared at me—not one of his icy glares, but one that still chilled me, nonetheless. "I don't believe you're in a position to say something like that, Ginevra."

"Please, Draco," I said, hating the begging tone in my voice. "It's not fair on me if you keep up this game."

"Who said anything about this being fair?" Draco replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't want _fair_," I growled, "I want _you_." I grabbed his shirt and pulled him to me.

--

I woke from the dream and shifted in the bed. It was funny how I still remembered what had happened that night after the class. I still dreamed about it constantly, as if the event happened just the day before.

And, if there was one thing I learned from that night, it was that the house _always_ won.

--

**Hm. I wonder if I can say the prompt twice. *shrugs***

**Well, I have to say, this was pretty good, considering I started this so late. LOL. Take **_**that**_**, procrastination! *sneers ***

***Oh, and just so you guys know: I made up the whole 'house' position off the top of my head. For this fic, the position is when a girl is on top. It's usually used in reference to lesbians, but it can be used for a heterosexual couple. **

**Thanks for reading, and review!**

**Word count: 1995, not including the ANs. **

**Sid**


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